Wish me luck
- Thread starter dgusafa
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MJ2020
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Are you going with your parents to genesis? DS and I are going.
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@dgusafa, best wishes for your interviews. When you’re done with them, please do your fellow candidates a solid by coming back here to share what worked, what didn’t, etc. Your first-hand knowledge, this early in the process, would be much appreciated by your peers (who someday may become your crewmates or shipmates).
We did the bookings .
The interview was around 80 mins on face time. Questions were mostly situational, what would you do if this happens type besides the regular one. He even asked to see some of the certificates and medals. Couple of questions on current affairs also. Over all I am very pleased the way it went. My experience at summer seminar was definitely helpful and the guidance from the ALO was helpful too. I will now continue with the rest of the paperwork.
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Well done, @dgusafa, and thank you for following up on this thread. That says a lot about you. Best wishes the rest of the way.
MJ2020
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Great! I’m try if I can pm you!
Sounds like an alum with too much time on his hands. You should have responded to the request to see certificates, "You're either questioning my integrity or wasting my time, which is it?" Guy would have been speechless and respected you. A big thing at a service academy is not being a 'Yes Man', to not do what is socially acceptable or convenient and go against the grain to defend a concept. As an officer you are beholden to a concept, not an authority.
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@Jmoney457, a big thing at an SA and the military is to be respectful to your superiors/elders. If BGO asks to see certificates and medals — and does so in a curious, complimentary and respectful way — then what’s the harm? You’re making a big leap in assuming the request was made out of suspicion. Your statement here might say more about you than about the BGO.
Not all BGOs are alum. Some are “friends of USNA.” Very few have much free time on their hands. They’re volunteers, and this is a time-consuming job that must be taken seriously. They know that kids’ futures are being impacted by their decisions.
Oh, and as an officer, you’re in fact beholden to both a concept and to authority. You swear to uphold the Constitution. You also commit to obeying the chain of command, with rare exceptions tied to questions of legality. Not sure what noble concept @dgusafa would have been defending just because BGO was making conversation (unless you know of some sinister motive that others don’t).
Not all BGOs are alum. Some are “friends of USNA.” Very few have much free time on their hands. They’re volunteers, and this is a time-consuming job that must be taken seriously. They know that kids’ futures are being impacted by their decisions.
Oh, and as an officer, you’re in fact beholden to both a concept and to authority. You swear to uphold the Constitution. You also commit to obeying the chain of command, with rare exceptions tied to questions of legality. Not sure what noble concept @dgusafa would have been defending just because BGO was making conversation (unless you know of some sinister motive that others don’t).
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Someone doing an 80 minute interview of a 17 year old certainly has a lot of time on their hands. They probably consider the interview more for informational purposes of the applicant than an evaluation. It's impossible to standardize the metric if the interviews are done by different individuals. That would introduce more bias and variability into the process.
The awards and certificates are boring. Everybody has them. Saying what I wrote would demonstrate that you have guts, which is hard to find these days and leaves an impression.
Additionally, while you're talking about the, "big things" at an SA, which one did you attend?
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I don't think there would have been a lot of respect there, actually. My opinion is that is absolutely terrible advice.
It would leave an impression all right. It would demonstrate that you're rude and impulsive.
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Nice job, and best of luck. It’s a grueling process. Whether or not you ultimately receive an appointment, you are growing and learning. All that you go through will serve you well in wherever you end up. The growth I saw in my own son over the year was amazing. Congrats on getting through this important step!!
USAFretired1996
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I don’t think 80 minutes is unreasonable. Our son is a ’16 grad so his ALO interview was done in person at our home. When I explained that my wife and I were both retired AF, he said he’d skip his usual parent presentation and then asked to speak with our son privately. He spent well over an hour with him. Having been around the AF my entire 64 years of life, I don’t think I’d have encouraged my son to question the ALO’s motives had he asked to see any of his documentation.
shock-n-awe
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DS’s interviews averaged 90 minutes. No one asked to see any of his awards, because he didn’t bring them to the interviews. DS mentioned that some of his accomplishments were discussed, in a conversational manner, not a challenging or questioning manner.
DS felt great about each of his interviews, meaning that he learned about what the Academy offered, what it would be like while there, and life after. Each interviewer offered their own life experiences as well. I know that none of his interviewers had too much time on their hands, but I met a couple of them and I also know that they care about the candidates and take their volunteer job very seriously.
As much time will be taken as needed for interviews, and I am forever grateful for the interviewers from the different Academies and ROTC DS got to meet, they were priceless.
Ma'am/Sir,
I was at the Summer Seminar at USAFA and also attended AIM at USCGA, I did see the cadres and the cadets talking in Yes Sir and Yes Ma'am way. Before the interview I took advise from my ALO, he asked me to be natural and honest. Of all the guidance I have received from school, parents regarding interview, no one has suggested me to be aggressive in my response, I have been told to politely say No to some unwanted question.
I am so glad I took my father's advise and had the documents by my webcam. To be very specific of the certificate, the evaluator was interested in knowing about the "Tournament Instructor of the Year" award I mentioned. I guess he wanted to ensure I have what I was claiming, other certificates from school, scouting etc. were not even asked for.
Whether I make it or not this was a great experience, I have my BGO interview in 2 weeks and then the ROTCs.
Respectfully,
#Dgusafa
Pima
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jmoney,
Sorry, but I am with all the others regarding your advice of questioning the ALO.
~ My DH is now a retired O5, and I remember the best advice he gave to my DS (ADAF O3 Pilot) Whether you agree with your superior or not, if it is a lawful order, salute the officer sharply and say yes, sir.
~ DH flew fighters for his career. There is a guy with a call sign TUNA. Reason why was his attitude. He questioned during a debrief a pilot with 2K hrs in the F15E (original cadre), this was his 1st op tour (no op hrs), thus everyone decided his name was TWO to NONE, shortened to TUNA.
~~ Nobody said anything to him during the debrief about his arrogance and Faux Pas, but since everybody took note of it and it came back to bite him during the naming ceremony. Your advice might be seen the exact same way. The ALO may give a nod for their gumption, but bite him on his review. It may make him/her question can they follow orders.
For our DS he had a unique interview, since he was an ADAF brat he could come and go on base. His ALO took him to a Daedalian dinner at the O Club for their 1st meeting. Looking back at that occasion, I am pretty impressed that my DS was cool as a cucumber and went with the flow. If you think about it, these are tables of 8-10 people. and they are all pilots, so it is basically not just 1 person looking at you as you eat your dinner, but also at least 6 more people.
~ In the end he said it was the best thing because it got him ready for his MOC interview since it made him answer questions that night he never thought about before and how to defend the answers he gave, but in a social setting.
~~ Some MoCs do interviews and the ALO knows that, they may opt for a longer interview to prep the candidate for their MOC nom interview questions.
Additionally, I do not know if it has changed, but my DS's ALO's rec was also used for his AFROTC scholarship. He did not go an AFROTC det at a local university, the ALO just submitted it directly to HQ AFROTC.
Many ALO's do have lots of time on their hands. They volunteer for this position because they want to give back to the community they spent their lives serving. We should be thankful for their dedication, and not look down our noses at their dedication. Sorry, but that is how your posts read, as if they are bored at home and this a way to fill their day.
Finally, as a parent, I would have hit my DS upside his cranium if he told me he did that. Leave the military out, I was also a teacher. You give respect to those that have walked before you. They were raised with a saying...
WHAT makes you think you are so special to this world that you know more than people that have walked this earth in that career, longer than you have been alive?
Sorry, but I am with all the others regarding your advice of questioning the ALO.
~ My DH is now a retired O5, and I remember the best advice he gave to my DS (ADAF O3 Pilot) Whether you agree with your superior or not, if it is a lawful order, salute the officer sharply and say yes, sir.
~ DH flew fighters for his career. There is a guy with a call sign TUNA. Reason why was his attitude. He questioned during a debrief a pilot with 2K hrs in the F15E (original cadre), this was his 1st op tour (no op hrs), thus everyone decided his name was TWO to NONE, shortened to TUNA.
~~ Nobody said anything to him during the debrief about his arrogance and Faux Pas, but since everybody took note of it and it came back to bite him during the naming ceremony. Your advice might be seen the exact same way. The ALO may give a nod for their gumption, but bite him on his review. It may make him/her question can they follow orders.
For our DS he had a unique interview, since he was an ADAF brat he could come and go on base. His ALO took him to a Daedalian dinner at the O Club for their 1st meeting. Looking back at that occasion, I am pretty impressed that my DS was cool as a cucumber and went with the flow. If you think about it, these are tables of 8-10 people. and they are all pilots, so it is basically not just 1 person looking at you as you eat your dinner, but also at least 6 more people.
~ In the end he said it was the best thing because it got him ready for his MOC interview since it made him answer questions that night he never thought about before and how to defend the answers he gave, but in a social setting.
~~ Some MoCs do interviews and the ALO knows that, they may opt for a longer interview to prep the candidate for their MOC nom interview questions.
Additionally, I do not know if it has changed, but my DS's ALO's rec was also used for his AFROTC scholarship. He did not go an AFROTC det at a local university, the ALO just submitted it directly to HQ AFROTC.
Many ALO's do have lots of time on their hands. They volunteer for this position because they want to give back to the community they spent their lives serving. We should be thankful for their dedication, and not look down our noses at their dedication. Sorry, but that is how your posts read, as if they are bored at home and this a way to fill their day.
Finally, as a parent, I would have hit my DS upside his cranium if he told me he did that. Leave the military out, I was also a teacher. You give respect to those that have walked before you. They were raised with a saying...
WHAT makes you think you are so special to this world that you know more than people that have walked this earth in that career, longer than you have been alive?
skismuggs
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If I was your interviewing ALO ( and I am one, before you ask) I would give you the lowest score I could just for that snide comment. You think I would respect you for that when you did not show me any??? Anyone of you candidates want to follow his advice, go ahead.
I guess you could hypothetically give me a poor score, but I am already a student at an academy. You say to your buddy, "Hey, I've got 5 bucks in my pocket. Your buddy replies, "Hm...Let me see." He either doesn't believe me or is wasting both of our time.
Pima
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Jmoney,
We can all see that you are at USMMA. I mean this with sincerity, congratulations for being selected to USMMA. You should be very proud of your accomplishment, because it is no easy feat to be appointed to any SA.
However, USMMA is different than USAFA, just as USAFA is way different than USMMA. USAFA does not require cadets to go to sea for a year.
Nominations to USAFA are different than USMMA. USAFA you can only get it from your Congressman (district) and the Sens. USMMA allows you to apply to EVERY congressman/woman in your state plus your Sens.
Go to USAFA and want rated, you almost have a 100% chance if you are FAA FC1 qual, even if you are at the bottom. Not true with USMMA. Yes, you have a strong chance, but not like USAFA where it is almost 100% guaranteed.
I may be wrong, but I believe with USMMA you are not required to go AD. USAFA you are AD the second you take the oath...no Guard or Reserve option for them.
Finally, yes you can say that to your buddy, but an ALO is not your buddy. When you did your sea tour at USMMA, did you question the captain of the ship? Betting the answer is NO. He/She is your superior for various reasons, starting with the I am in charge, and I own you for the next # of days, and ending with RESPECT my experience.
Just a question, do you plan to ask for an AF commission out of USMMA? Do you plan to go AD in any branch? No flaming, because I am pretty positive that Merchant Marines also require good discipline and following orders, which brings me back to that question...do you see the Captain of the ship as your BUDDY and question him/her when they asked you a question, or did you answer it with an affirmative/negative response and not the smart arse answer you suggested?
We can all see that you are at USMMA. I mean this with sincerity, congratulations for being selected to USMMA. You should be very proud of your accomplishment, because it is no easy feat to be appointed to any SA.
However, USMMA is different than USAFA, just as USAFA is way different than USMMA. USAFA does not require cadets to go to sea for a year.
Nominations to USAFA are different than USMMA. USAFA you can only get it from your Congressman (district) and the Sens. USMMA allows you to apply to EVERY congressman/woman in your state plus your Sens.
Go to USAFA and want rated, you almost have a 100% chance if you are FAA FC1 qual, even if you are at the bottom. Not true with USMMA. Yes, you have a strong chance, but not like USAFA where it is almost 100% guaranteed.
I may be wrong, but I believe with USMMA you are not required to go AD. USAFA you are AD the second you take the oath...no Guard or Reserve option for them.
Finally, yes you can say that to your buddy, but an ALO is not your buddy. When you did your sea tour at USMMA, did you question the captain of the ship? Betting the answer is NO. He/She is your superior for various reasons, starting with the I am in charge, and I own you for the next # of days, and ending with RESPECT my experience.
Just a question, do you plan to ask for an AF commission out of USMMA? Do you plan to go AD in any branch? No flaming, because I am pretty positive that Merchant Marines also require good discipline and following orders, which brings me back to that question...do you see the Captain of the ship as your BUDDY and question him/her when they asked you a question, or did you answer it with an affirmative/negative response and not the smart arse answer you suggested?
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Pima
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Going off topic for a second. I am a manager for a national corporation. I hold a Master degree in Human Resources. I can tell you if you interviewed with me, it would not be hypothetical regarding a poor score. You would not get a 2nd interview, end of subject.
Additionally, unfortunately for your generation, you think having 696 friends on FB, and posting selfies 5 times a day is a good thing. My generation, may be older, but we know how to worm our way through FB and Instagram. We see it as a bad thing because not all of those 696 friends are set on private, and you can be tagged in a bad way photo wise.
~ If you are computer savvy like I am, I bet you can find me on FB in about 25 minutes. There are too many hints on my posts here. Too lazy to investigate you further, but I will say I know what sex you are, yr group you are in, whether you were in college when you applied or not, what state, and what suburb of that state you reside, unless those were all lies you posted just on this site.
~~Pretty sure with a few more minutes (if I cared enough), I would be able to find your real name via FB.
~~ Most employees in charge of hiring know how to search the bowels of the internet or at least have somebody that is in charge of searching new hire social media. It is common place to do a social media search these days.
Just saying you don't know who is lurking on the net.
PS you don't need to answer my question about ADAF, a few minutes lurking through your posts and I know the answer.
~ Just hoping that if it is rated you don't play the game you are suggesting, because grey beards don't like that attitude at all. Rated AF has a cliché they pride themselves on... They eat their young.
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